Raiders sign QB Keller

Reunited with ASU teammate Walter

Associated Press

Published
4:00 am PDT, Friday, June 27, 2008

The Raiders signed Bay Area native and former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller to a contract Wednesday and waived quarterback Erik Meyer.

Keller was not drafted despite setting a school record last season by completing 63.1 percent of his passes for 2,422 yards and 14 touchdowns in nine games. His season ended prematurely when he sustained a shoulder injury in a game against Texas in October.

Before transferring to Nebraska, Keller was at Arizona State his first three years. As a sophomore in 2004, he backed up Andrew Walter, who is with the Raiders.

Keller will compete for one of the spots on the roster behind starter JaMarcus Russell. Walter is the only other quarterback returning from last season, but the Raiders also signed Marques Tuiasosopo, who was with Oakland from 2001 through '06, as a free agent this offseason.

Keller played at San Ramon Valley High in Danville.

Sims officially signs: Offensive lineman Barry Sims signed with the 49ers, crossing the bay after nine years with the Raiders.

Sims, who joined the league as an undrafted free agent in 1999, started all 16 games at left tackle for the Raiders last season as their longest-tenured player. He played both guard and tackle for Oakland, including 68 straight starts at left tackle, but was released Feb. 29 in a cost-cutting move.

Walker suspect in court: The man accused of robbing and beating Raiders receiver Javon Walker was scheduled to be in court today, his second appearance this week.

Arfat Fadel must go before Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo in Las Vegas.

Fadel, 30, told another judge Wednesday that police pressured his girlfriend to press separate domestic-violence charges against him before he was arrested in the Walker case.

That judge refused Fadel's request to reduce his $13,000 bail in that case and set a preliminary hearing for July 9 on felony kidnapping, coercion and misdemeanor domestic-violence-battery charges. Fadel remains at the Clark County jail in Las Vegas.

The June 16 robbery and beating that left Walker unconscious on a street off the Las Vegas Strip.

Spygate suit ruling: A federal judge has given a New York Jets season-ticket holder more time to amend a lawsuit that seeks millions from the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick for "deceiving customers" by videotaping opponents' signals.